Vegan Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart

Oops, I sort of let Valentine's Day pass by without baking anything chocolate-y for you all. But..better late than never though, right?

I've sort of been trying to be on a diet lately and I'm failing pretty miserably at it. I mean, when I say diet, I really just mean I've been trying to curb my sweet tooth. But it's SO hard, guys.

I can literally do high intensity interval training 4 to 5 times a week but I can't say no to a Reese's Fast Break bar. And the worst part is every time I give in, I try to justify it. Like, it has peanut butter and that's protein so it's not that bad. Plus, I worked out. And the cycle repeats itself over and over again.

So I figured out that I should surround myself with healthier sweets, that way the guilt isn't so bad and neither are the consequences. This chocolate-hazelnut tart looks so indulgent but it's actually made of wholesome ingredients. There's no refined sugar, no grains, no gluten, and no dairy. And it's so easy to make.

The tart as a whole is ridiculously delicious, but my favorite part is the maple ganache topping. Holy moly. I was eating the leftovers with a spoon. In fact, I think I might make a batch just to have a spoonful every now and then when my chocolate craving kicks in. Yes, I'll do that.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 8" or 9" tart pan with a removal bottom with non-stick spray. Set aside.

To the bowl of a food processor, add hazelnuts, oats, and salt. Process until you have a fine meal. Drizzle in coconut oil, followed by maple syrup, while processor is running. Once the mixture starts to look crumbly, remove from processor and press into prepared tart pan. Prick the crust with a fork about a dozen times. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely.

Once completely cooled, wrap and place in freezer until ready to use.

To prepare filling, scoop out the white layer of cream that has formed on top in the refrigerated coconut milk cans and place in a medium-sized bowl. (Discard the water or save for smoothies.) Using an electric hand mixer, beat cream until smooth and fluffy. Sift in cacoa powder and beat until well-incorporated. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt and beat on high speed just until combined.

Spoon filling onto the crust, spreading it evenly. Garnish the tart with additional chopped hazelnuts, if desired. Refrigerate while you prepare ganache.

In a small bowl, whisk cacoa powder and maple syrup together until well-combined. Add coconut oil and salt, and whisk until ganache is cohesive and smooth. Fill a Ziploc bag with ganache and snip off one corner, to drizzle ganache over tart.